Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly denied the accusations against him and stated that the US government “manufactures a war” against Venezuela with the supposed anti-drug fight.
Mexico City, November 16 (However).- The United States government (EU) announced that he will appoint the Cartel of the Suns as terrorist organization, criminal group who supposedly runs the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro.
“The State Department intends to designate the Cartel of the Suns as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (OTE). Led by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted government institutions in Venezuela and is responsible for acts of terrorist violence perpetrated by and with other designated OTEs, as well as drug trafficking to the United States and Europe,” stated Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, in his X account.
This announcement represents another step in the pressure campaign that Donald Trump’s government seems to have launched against Chavista Venezuela. According to the US authorities, the measure will take effect on November 24.
The Trump administration accuses the Venezuelan Head of State, along with other leaders of the Caribbean country such as the Minister of the Interior, Diosdado Cabello, of belonging to this alleged criminal organization.
.@StateDept intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the institutions of government in Venezuela and is responsible for terrorist violence conducted by and with other…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) November 16, 2025
The White House has long maintained that at the top of the Venezuelan State resides the leadership of a criminal organization to which it attributes the shipment of illegal drugs to the United States and which it holds responsible for the deaths of American citizens.
If the OTE designation is carried out, the US military and security forces will have more powers to be able to take direct action and dismantle “terrorist” organizations.
The United States sent the largest military deployment in decades to the Caribbean with the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford leading the offensive against the alleged “narcoterrorist” vessels.
These attacks have caused the death of at least 83 people whom the Trump administration considered drug traffickers without presenting a single piece of evidence to confirm their claims. These actions have been condemned by heads of state such as the Colombian, Gustavo Petro, the Mexican Claudia Sheinbaum and Nicolás Maduro himself.
On Nov. 15, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,… pic.twitter.com/iM1PhIsroj
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) November 16, 2025
Rubio’s announcement comes as speculation mounts over whether the US could attack ground targets inside Venezuela as part of an attempt to put military pressure on Nicolás Maduro to oust him from power.
Operation Southern Lance
The Secretary of War of the United States (US), Pete Hegseth, assured this Thursday that, by order of US President Donald Trump, Operation Southern Spear will be carried out, led by the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), to combat drug trafficking in Latin America.
“President Trump ordered action and the War Department is complying. Today, I am announcing Operation Southern Spear. Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, eliminates narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood — and we will protect it,” he shared on X, formerly Twitter.
Hegseth did not specify what type of actions will constitute the operation or its scope. Since September, the United States has deployed thousands of soldiers to the Caribbean and has carried out dozens of operations that have resulted in the extrajudicial execution of at least 76 people.